Welcome to the April installment of the 2019 tabletop challenge:

104 games in 52 weeks

As a way of guaranteeing quality time together, my partner and I have challenged ourselves to play two tabletop games each week in 2019, with no repeats. Each month, I recount our tallied games with a brief rundown of each game and a highlight for this month’s particular favorite. Welcome to the table! I hope you find a game to pique your interest.

Cover Art for the board game Via Nebula, a fantasy game

Via Board Game Geek

37. Via Nebula (2016)

  • Player count: 2-4
  • Run time: 45-60 min.
  • Publisher: Space Cowboys
  • Mechanics: Pick-up and Deliver, Route Building

The valley of Nebula is shrouded in mist and your skill, as a crafter and builder, is needed to clear the mist, create new roads for transportation, and to help establish new settlements.

 

Cover art for the tabletop game Museum, showing curators opening historical artifacts

Via Board Game Geek

38. Museum (2019)

  • Player count: 2-4
  • Run time: 30-60 min.
  • Publisher: Holy Grail Games
  • Mechanics: Card Drafting, Set Collection

As the name suggests, you will take control as the curator of a museum at the turn of the century. With a small starting collection, your challenge is to expand your collection, providing breadth but also coherency to your museum. The art is beautiful.

 

Favorite of the Month!

I have been waiting for this game for so long. This was one of the first games we backed on Kickstarter when we got into hobby board gaming. It did not disappoint!

 

The cover art for the tabletop game Rising 5 showing 5 futurustic space warriors posing

Via Board Game Geek

39. Rising 5: Runes of Asteros (2017)

  • Player count: 1-5
  • Run time: 15-25 min.
  • Publisher: Mandoo Games
  • Mechanics: Cooperative, Variable Player Powers, Action Point Allowance

Look, I have a new space boyfriend and Poe Dameron just has to understand.

This space game stands out from the crowd in a number of ways. Your team of agents has been called together to protect the planet from an invasion of monsters. To do so, you’ll need to find the code and reseal the Rune Gate that locks the monsters away. This co-operative deduction game uses a mobile app as its game master.

 

Cover art for the tabletop game Roll Player depctng 3 warrors n front of a castle

Via Board Game Geek

40. Roll Player (2016)

  • Player count: 1-4
  • Run time: 60-90 min.
  • Publisher:: Thunderworks Games
  • Mechanics: Card Drafting, Dice Rolling, Set Collection, Variable Player Powers

I consider this game to be such a great soft introduction to Dungeon & Dragons. You’ll create your own fantasy hero, building their attributes through cards and dice drafting. This character will then have the opportunity to go questing, improve their skills, and level up! If you’re intimidated by traditional roll & write and don’t feel you can invest in the deluge of Pathfinder material, this guided adventure is a good beginner’s start.

 

Cover art for the tabletop game Valdora, showing sx fantasy adventurers, each n a dstnct color Green, Purple, Red, Gold, Orange and Blue

Via Board Game Geek

41. Hyperborea (2014)

  • Player count: 2-6
  • Run time: 50-150 min.
  • Publisher: Asterion Press
  • Mechanics: Modular Board, Variable Player Powers, Area Control

Six realms, each represented by a color and with its own strength, vies for control over Hyperborea. As the leader of your faction, you’ll bring your people into Hyperborea, take control of as much space as you can, and build up your civilization through war, trade, building, knowledge, and growth.

 

Tabletop art for the tabletop game Quacs of Quedlnburg, a fantasy city showing a market and merchants with wares for sale

Via Board Game Geek

42. Quacks of Quedlinburg (2018)

  • Player count: 2-4
  • Run time: 45 min.
  • Publisher: Schmidt Spiele
  • Mechanics: Pool Building, Press Your Luck

In the fair city of Quedlinburg, charlatan doctors are brewing their secret elixirs one ingredient at a time. As you stir your pot and push your luck, take care that you don’t let your brew explode!

 

Cover art for the tabletop game Valdora showing fantasy adventurers in front of a middle age city

Via Board Game Geek

43. Valdora (2009)

  • Player count: 3-5
  • Run time: 60 min.
  • Publisher: Abacusspiele
  • Mechanics: Pick-up and Deliver

With a somewhat generic fantasy theme, this game is unassuming but beautiful in its simplicity. Gems and precious metals scattered across the map are yours for the claiming. Each adventurer takes on commissions and must travel across the valley to return these riches to their patrons.

 

Cover art for the tabletop game Constellations, depicting a night sky with stars and constellations outlined between the stars

Via Board Game Geek

44. Constellations (2017)

  • Player count: 2-4
  • Run time: 30-60 min.
  • Publisher: Xtronaut Enterprises
  • Mechanics:Tile Placement, Hand Management

This game is simple and beautiful. The seven types of stars (our sun is a G-type) are represented in cards, each with a bit of flavor text about the science and myth behind stars. To create constellations, the players must collect a unique combination of stars and fill up the night sky.

 

Cover art for the tabletop game A Pleasant Journey to Neko depicting a retro 1960s-style sea captain and penguins

Via Board Game Geek

45. A Pleasant Journey to Neko (2018)

  • Player count: 2-4
  • Run time: 45-90 min.
  • Publisher: The Wood Games
  • Mechanics: Bidding, Point to Point Movement, Network Building

A jaunt through the Antarctic with the goal of seeing as many penguins along your route is the goal of this game. But you must be careful to balance your travel with your ecological impact!

Do any of these games strike your fancy? To see what we’re playing in real time, follow #104Gamesin52 on Instagram!